From Cherry Blossom Rice Cakes to Mochi Dusted with Green Soy-bean Flour, home cooks will be transported by the recipes in Machiko Chiba's latest cookbook devoted to Japanese sweets known as wagashi. Traditionally served as part of the tea ceremony, wagashi are finding a place in contemporary cuisines as light, beautifully crafted, elegant desserts. Now, with her easy-to-follow instructions and the patented Cook-Zen microwave pot, anyone can make wagashi in minutes.

Chef Yamashita Masataka was trained in Tsuji Culinary Institute, a well-known and respected culinary institute in Osaka, Japan. He worked at various pâtisseries around Japan for 10 years before starting his own pâtisserie in Nara, which quickly became one of the top pâtisseries there. Eight years later, yearning for new challenges and a change of scenery, chef Yamashita moved to Singapore where he took charge of the kitchen at Pâtisserie Glacé, turning it into a haven for delightful cakes and pastries. Chef Yamashita soon saw an opportunity to revive his pâtisserie from Japan and re-established Flor Pâtisserie at Duxton Hill, Singapore. Today, chef Yamashita no longer runs Flor, but his own Japanese artisan pâtisserie at Tangjong Pagar Plaza, aptly named Chef Yamashita. This is chef Yamashita’s second cookbook. His first cookbook, Tanoshii, clinched the Best First Cookbook award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013 and is a bestseller

Do you have a yearning for unique Japanese desserts that you want to explore? No sweat, you won't need to look too far to find some impressive recipes for these treats! The dainty, sweet confections "wagashi" are in a class to themselves and are different from the cookies and cakes you'll find in European or Western countries. The unique Japanese confections highlighted in the Wagashi Cookbook were made to be served at the traditional tea ceremonies of the country, but they can be eaten anytime you desire. You may be surprised to know that these sweets are very simple to make! The Ingredients for these treasures, such as sticky rice, sweet bean jelly and red bean jam, are easy to prepare. The recipes basically use most of the same ingredients, so once a few are made, it is very easy to make the others. Wagashi treats are fat and butter free which makes them healthier than Western desserts. Oftentimes seasonal fruits are used or fruits found in your own country if that's your preference. Come on, give these treats a try and make them in your own kitchen! Ask your family and friends to sample them for you; I am sure they will love them!

"Machiko Chiba's microwave cook pot, the Cook-Zen, will change the way you cook ... In 'The Cook-Zen Way to Eat', the follow-up to 'The Cook-Zen Cookbook', author Machiko Chiba has returned with even more incredible recipes made in minutes ..."--Front flap

A visual guide to hundreds of Japanese confections, with historical information. Text in Japanese and English.

Americans are familiarizing themselves with Japanese food, thanks especially sushi's wild popularity and ready availability. This timely book satisfies the new interest and taste for Japanese food, providing a host of knowledge on the foodstuffs, cooking styles, utensils, aesthetics, meals, etiquette, nutrition, and much more. Students and general readers are offered a holistic framing of the food in historical and cultural contexts. Recipes for both the novice and sophisticated cook complement the narrative. Japan's unique attitude toward food extends from the religious to the seasonal. This book offers a contextual framework for the Japanese food culture and relates Japan's history and geography to food. An exhaustive description of ingredients, beverages, sweets, and food sources is a boon to anyone exploring Japanese cuisine in the kitchen. The Japanese style of cooking, typical meals, holiday fare, and rituals—so different from Americans'—are engagingly presented and accessible to a wide audience. A timeline, glossary, resource guide, and illustrations make this a one-stop reference for Japanese food culture.

The Cook-Zen pot is a microwave-cooking innovation that creates amazingly delicious, healthy meals in minutes. This companion cookbook presents more than 80 recipes for Japanese-style veggies, rice dishes, meat, chicken, fish, even desserts, all simplified for home cooks. The Cook-Zen delivers perfectly cooked sushi rice and crisp vegetables every time.